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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22942237">I think we can</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld'>bunnysworld</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:36:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>784</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22942237</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur does all those nice things for Merlin and Merlin doesn't even notice</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>226</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Camelot Drabble — Prompt #400:Oblivious</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I think we can</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for Camelot Drabble. Prompt: Oblivious</p><p>400 prompts, baby!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Merlin didn't even look up when Arthur put a mug of fresh tea on his desk. "Thanks." His brain was so busy with these numbers and how to put them into a decent report, that he barely noticed. Once in a while, when he sipped from the tea, he wondered where it had come from and forgot its existence the moment he put the mug down.</p><p>Arthur looked over once in a while, but then turned towards his own work again.</p><p>+++</p><p>"What are you doing for lunch?" Arthur got up from his desk and reached for his jacket.</p><p>"Have to finish this here. Your father will be furious when the numbers aren't on his desk before the phone conference." Merlin didn't even look up.</p><p>"I could bring you something? What would you like?" Arthur sent an encouraging smile over.</p><p>It was almost as if Merlin didn't see him when he shrugged. "I'm good, thanks."</p><p>If he wondered where the Indian dish he liked so much came from that he found on his desk after he came back from the conference, he didn't mention it.</p><p>+++</p><p>"Damn!"</p><p>Arthur looked over when Merlin jumped up. "What is it? Are you alright?"</p><p>Merlin made a face. "I shouldn't have eaten my lunch before the presentation. Of course, I had to pour it on my tie!" Frantically, he wiped at the tie, only making the stain bigger and even more visible.</p><p>Arthur opened one of the drawers of his desk and pulled out a tie that matched Merlin's suit a lot better than the one he had just ruined and also brought out the colour of his eyes. "Here, take this one."</p><p>"I...Arthur, I can't, it's Armani!"</p><p>"So?"</p><p>"It's one of yours!"</p><p>"I haven't been wearing it before, it just sits in my drawer for emergencies. This is an emergency." He went over and helped Merlin tie it properly. "Here you go. Kill them."</p><p>"Yeah...will do..." Merlin grabbed his papers. "You'll get this back right after."</p><p>+++</p><p>Arthur looked over when he heard Merlin laugh. Oh, of course he was talking to Gwaine. Gwaine always made Merlin laugh.</p><p>"No, really, we can't get tickets for that, the show has been sold out in no time."</p><p>"Too bad, let's do something else. Movies? Pub?" Gwaine leaned in way too much for Arthur's liking.</p><p>What else Gwaine said was lost as the cleaning lady chose this very moment to start the vacuum cleaner and Arthur frowned. He had missed what show they had been talking about and now he missed what plans Merlin agreed to. He sighed.</p><p>+++</p><p>Sitting at the cafeteria, staring at the mug in front of him, Arthur knew he shouldn't feel so bad. He couldn't help it that he had crushed on his co-worker and maybe he shouldn't have acted on it at all. It just hurt that Merlin didn't even seem to notice all the things he had done for him in the past week. Maybe, if he had gotten tickets to the show that Merlin missed things would have gone different. Or maybe all of this was a bad idea anyway.</p><p>Arthur startled when someone put their tray on his little table and sat down across from him. "Err...Merlin."</p><p>"Hi, Arthur. It's okay to sit here?"</p><p>Of course it was okay, and even if it weren't, Merlin was already in the chair and rearranging the things on his tray.</p><p>"Here." He handed a plate with a pastry over.</p><p>"I...I shouldn't." Arthur looked at it. He loved this kind of pastry, but he needed to watch his weight.</p><p>"Oh, come one, it's just a little 'thank you'."</p><p>Arthur blinked. "What for?"</p><p>Merlin set his mug down and threw him a look. "Do you really think I'm that oblivious? I noticed that you brought me tea and lunch and gave me that damn expensive tie and that you tried to get tickets for the sold out show."</p><p>"Then...why didn't you say anything?" Arthur couldn't help the slight blush on his face.</p><p>"The big boss bombarded me with projects and all of them had to be done immediately. Not an excuse, I know, just the reason." Merlin shrugged. "I appreciate all those things. You brought me tea when I needed it most, you fed me and saved my presentation by giving me that tie..."</p><p>Arthur smiled. "Oh, don't mention it."</p><p>"But I do. Mention it. I thought..." Merlin pushed the pastry around his plate. "I thought...how about...would you like to have dinner with me? I mean...only if you like to...and I pay...and we can..."</p><p>Chuckling, Arthur nodded, all the gloomy thoughts from before gone. "I think we can do that."</p>
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